In Terms Of Attitude, There Were Never Any Doubts - WV Raman Makes A Revelation About Mohammed Shami's Test Debut

Former Indian cricketer WV Raman has asserted that the Indian pacer, Mohammed Shami’s attitude is unquestionable and his hunger to perform is quite evident every time he steps out onto the field.

Shami took a five-wicket haul in the first Test against South Africa and also went on to complete 200 career Test wickets to become the fifth Indian pacer to do so. Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli, termed Shami as one of the top 3 pacers in the world at the moment.

“In terms of attitude, there were never any doubts. To cut a long story short, I’ve seen him bowl flat out, in the last session of the last day, with a 60-over-old ball, while he was running a temperature of 102. This was in his debut game. You didn’t need anything further to tell you what kind of attitude that boy had,” Raman, who has worked with Shami back in the Bengal team, was quoted as saying to News18.

“Before Shami made his Ranji debut, I was pushing hard for him to play for Bengal. To that end, I even went to the extent of saying that from the day you make him play Ranji Trophy, within 18 months he will play for the country. And that it happened to a T, so I did not end up with egg on my face,” Raman added.

He would not compromise on his effort in bowling sessions – WV Raman

Unlike other fast bowlers who slog it out in the gym, Shami has always been one to spend his time in the nets doing what he loves – bowling. Raman revealed that his training sessions would last somewhere around 90-120 minutes and there would be 100 percent dedication from his side.

“The other thing about him was that he did not relish the kind of training other fast bowlers do: running around the ground or hitting the gym. His method of training was bowling for one and a half or two hours. He would not compromise on his effort in those sessions. That’s another thing about him that stood out,” Raman mentioned.

Shami took eight wickets in the first Test which helped India secure a 1-0 lead in the 3-match Test series. The second Test begins on January 3 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

Also Read – IND vs SA: Quinton de Kock’s Retirement Cripples Batting Lineup Further, Says Hashim Amla